The divine comedy — Page 5
What is this comes o'er thee then?
Qu'est-ce donc qui t'envahit ainsi ?
Why, why dost thou hang back? why in thy breast
Pourquoi, pourquoi hésites-tu ? pourquoi en ton sein
Harbour vile fear? why hast not courage there
Abrites-tu une vile crainte ? pourquoi n'as-tu point là
And noble daring? Since three maids so blest
Le courage et la noble audace ? Puisque trois dames si bienheureuses
Thy safety plan, e'en in the court of heaven;
Veillent à ta sûreté, jusque dans la cour des cieux ;
And so much certain good my words forebode."
Et tant de bien certain mes paroles présagent. »
As florets, by the frosty air of night
Comme les fleurettes, courbées par l'air glacé de la nuit
Bent down and clos'd, when day has blanch'd their leaves,
Et fermées, lorsque le jour a blanchi leurs pétales,
Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems;
Se relèvent toutes déployées sur leurs tiges élancées ;
So was my fainting vigour new restor'd,
Ainsi ma vigueur défaillante fut tout à nouveau restaurée,
And to my heart such kindly courage ran,
Et dans mon cœur afflua un si bienveillant courage,
That I as one undaunted soon replied:
Que, tel un homme intrépide, je répondis bientôt :
"O full of pity she, who undertook
« Ô combien pleine de pitié, celle qui entreprit
My succour! and thou kind who didst perform
Mon secours ! et toi, si généreux, qui accomplis
So soon her true behest! With such desire
Si promptement son fidèle commandement ! Avec un tel désir
Thou hast dispos'd me to renew my voyage,
Tu m'as disposé à renouveler mon voyage,
That my first purpose fully is resum'd.
Que ma première résolution est pleinement reprise.
Lead on: one only will is in us both.
Avance : il n'est en nous deux qu'une seule volonté.
Thou art my guide, my master thou, and lord."
Tu es mon guide, mon maître, et mon seigneur. »
So spake I; and when he had onward mov'd,
Ainsi parlai-je ; et quand il se fut mis en marche,
I enter'd on the deep and woody way.
Je m'engageai sur le chemin profond et boisé.
Vocabulary
- ce
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective; this, that, it
- donc
- Conjunction or adverb meaning therefore, so, then
- envahit
- Third person singular of 'envahir'; invades, overwhelms
- ainsi
- Adverb meaning thus, in this way, so
- hésites
- Second person singular of 'hésiter'; you hesitate
- sein
- Noun meaning breast, bosom, heart, womb
- Abrites
- Second person plural of 'abriter'; you shelter, harbor
- vile
- Adjective meaning base, vile, contemptible
- crainte
- Noun meaning fear, dread, apprehension
- point
- Adverb used in negation meaning not at all
- courage
- Noun meaning courage, bravery, boldness
- noble
- Adjective meaning noble, distinguished, lofty
- audace
- Noun meaning audacity, boldness, daring
- Puisque
- Conjunction meaning since, given that, seeing that
- dames
- Noun meaning ladies, women of rank
- bienheureuses
- Adjective meaning blessed, blissful, very happy
- Veillent
- Third person plural of 'veiller'; watch over, keep vigil
- sûreté
- Noun meaning safety, security, sureness
- jusque
- Preposition meaning up to, as far as, until
- cour
- Noun meaning court, courtyard
- cieux
- Plural noun meaning heavens, skies
- tant
- Adverb meaning so much, so many, so great
- certain
- Adjective meaning certain, sure, definite
- paroles
- Noun meaning words, speech, lyrics
- présagent
- Third person plural of 'présager'; foretell, presage
- fleurettes
- Noun meaning little flowers, small blossoms
- courbées
- Past participle of 'courber'; bent, bowed down
- glacé
- Adjective meaning icy, frozen, glacial, chilled
- fermées
- Past participle of 'fermer'; closed, shut
- lorsque
- Conjunction meaning when, at the time that
- blanchi
- Past participle of 'blanchir'; whitened, brightened
- pétales
- Noun meaning petals of a flower
- relèvent
- Third person plural of 'se relever'; rise up again
- déployées
- Past participle of 'déployer'; unfolded, spread open
- tiges
- Noun meaning stems, stalks, shafts
- élancées
- Adjective meaning slender, tall and slim, upright
- Ainsi
- Adverb meaning thus, in this way, likewise
- vigueur
- Noun meaning vigor, strength, energy, vitality
- défaillante
- Adjective meaning failing, faltering, weakening
- fut
- Third person singular simple past of 'être'; was
- restaurée
- Past participle of 'restaurer'; restored, renewed
- afflua
- Third person singular simple past of 'affluer'; flowed into
- bienveillant
- Adjective meaning benevolent, kind, well-disposed
- tel
- Adjective meaning such, such a, like
- intrépide
- Adjective meaning intrepid, fearless, undaunted
- répondis
- First person singular simple past of 'répondre'; I answered
- bientôt
- Adverb meaning soon, shortly, before long
- Ô
- Interjection of address or invocation; O, Oh
- combien
- Adverb meaning how much, how many, how greatly
- pleine
- Feminine adjective meaning full, filled with
- pitié
- Noun meaning pity, compassion, mercy
- celle
- Demonstrative pronoun feminine; the one, she who
- entreprit
- Third person singular simple past of 'entreprendre'; undertook
- secours
- Noun meaning help, rescue, aid, assistance
- généreux
- Adjective meaning generous, noble, magnanimous
- accomplis
- Second person singular imperative of 'accomplir'; accomplish, fulfill
- promptement
- Adverb meaning promptly, quickly, swiftly
- fidèle
- Adjective meaning faithful, loyal, trustworthy
- commandement
- Noun meaning command, commandment, order
- désir
- Noun meaning desire, wish, longing
- disposé
- Past participle of 'disposer'; disposed, ready, inclined
- renouveler
- Infinitive meaning to renew, to restore, to repeat
- résolution
- Noun meaning resolution, determination, resolve
- pleinement
- Adverb meaning fully, completely, wholly
- reprise
- Noun or past participle meaning resumption, recovery, retaken
- Avance
- Imperative or noun; advance, move forward, progress
- seule
- Feminine adjective meaning alone, single, only
- volonté
- Noun meaning will, willpower, intention, desire
- guide
- Noun or verb meaning guide, leader, to guide
- maître
- Noun meaning master, teacher, lord, expert
- seigneur
- Noun meaning lord, master, nobleman, sire
- parlai
- First person singular simple past of 'parler'; I spoke
- mis
- Past participle of 'mettre'; put, placed, set
- marche
- Noun meaning walk, march, step, progress
- engageai
- First person singular simple past of 'engager'; I entered, committed
- chemin
- Noun meaning path, road, way, route
- profond
- Adjective meaning deep, profound, thick, intense
- boisé
- Adjective meaning wooded, forested, tree-covered
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